Tunable optical add/drop multiplexer

ABSTRACT

Optical signal devices, wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer optical devices, and methods of employing the same in which the core layer includes a grating and is comprised of a material whose refractive index is tuned so that the grating reflects a preselected wavelength of light. A single optical signal device can therefore be used to select a variety of wavelengths for segregation.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to improved integratedwavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer optical devices in whichlight of a specific wavelength (or specific wavelengths) can be added ordropped in an efficient manner. The device can be fabricated fromoptical polymers having a large index of refraction variation withtemperature. A single filter element may be used over a wide wavelengthrange thereby providing for dynamic selection of wavelengths.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Devices for adding/dropping wavelength coded signals (light of aspecific wavelength or wavelengths) are known in the art as disclosed inD. C. Johnson, K. O. Hill, F. Bilodeau, and S. Faucher, “New DesignConcept For A Narrowband Wavelength-Selective Optical Tap And Combiner,”Electron Left., Vol. 23, pp. 668-669 (1987) and C. R. Giles and V.Mizrahi, “Low-Loss Add/Drop Multiplexers For WDM Lightwave Networks,”Proc. IOOC, pp. 66-67 (1995), incorporated herein by reference. Suchdevices employ optical fibers which are utilized predominantly intelecommunication systems in addition to local area networks, computernetworks and the like. The optical fibers are capable of carrying largeamounts of information and it is the purpose of devices of the presentinvention to extract/inject a selected amount of information from/ontothe fiber by segregating the information carried on different wavelengthchannels.

Devices of this type are comprised of a variety of components whichtogether provide the desired segregation of wavelength coded signals.Integrated optical couplers and especially directional couplers havebeen developed to accomplish evanescent directional coupling asdisclosed in E. A. J. Marcatili, “Dielectric Rectangular Waveguide AndDirectional Couplers For Integrated Optics,” Bell Syst. Tech. J., p.2071 (1969), incorporated herein by reference. Optical signals arecoupled from one planar waveguide to another. The signals in the secondplanar waveguide propagate in the same direction in which the signalstravel in the first planar waveguide.

MMI (multimode interference) couplers have been developed to accomplishcoupling as disclosed in L. B. Soldano and E. C. M. Pennings, “OpticalMulti-Mode Interference Devices Based On Self-Imaging: Principles AndApplications,” J. Lightwave Technol., Vol. 13, pp. 615-627 (1995),incorporated herein by reference. MMI couplers achieve self-imagingwhereby a field profile input into a multimode waveguide is reproducedin single or multiple images at periodic intervals along the propagationdirection of the guide.

Optical circulators are optical coupling devices that have at leastthree ports. Three-port circulators couple light entering port 1 to port2, light entering port 2 to port 3, and light entering port 3 to port 1.

Diffraction gratings (e.g. Bragg gratings) are used to isolate a narrowband of wavelengths as disclosed in K. O. Hill and G. Meltz, “FiberBragg Grating Technology Fundamentals And Overview,” J. LightwaveTechnol. Vol. 15, pp. 1263-1276 (1997) and T. Erdogan, “Fiber GrantingSpectra,” J. Lightwave Technol., Vol. 15, pp. 1277-1294 (1997),incorporated herein by reference. Such grating reflectors have made itpossible to construct a device for use in adding or dropping a lightsignal at a predetermined center wavelength to or from a fiber optictransmission system without disturbing other signals at otherwavelengths as disclosed in L. Eldada, S. Yin, C. Poga, C. Glass, R.Blomquist, and R. A. Norwood, “Integrated Multi-Channel OADM's UsingPolymer Bragg Grating MZI's,” Photonics Technol. Lett., Vol. 10, pp.1416-1418 (1998), incorporated herein by reference.

It would be desirable to be able to drop a wavelength with moreprecision than current devices within a dynamic range of wavelengths fora single optical signal device rather than employing multiple opticalsignal devices for the same purpose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally to optical signal devices having finetuning means which provide for the more efficient control of thewavelength of light which is to be segregated from a multiple wavelengthlight signal.

The optical signal device of the present invention has a unique array ofmaterials and also includes altering the temperature of the opticalsignal device which provides for the precise selection of a targetedwavelength for dropping or adding an optical signal and which providesfor the rapid change of wavelengths from one targeted wavelength toanother.

In particular the optical signal device of the present inventioncomprises:

a) a substrate;

b) a pair of spaced apart cladding layers comprised of materials havingat least similar refractive index values;

c) a core layer including a waveguide or a pair of opposed waveguidespositioned between the pair of cladding layers having a refractive indexvalue greater than the refractive index value of the cladding layerssuch that the difference between refractive index values of the corelayer and cladding layers enables a multiple wavelength light signal topass through the device in a single mode;

d) a grating forming a filter means for causing a single wavelength oflight of said multiple wavelength light signal to be segregatedtherefrom; and

e) means for varying the refractive index of at least the core layer tocontrol the wavelength of the light which is to be segregated from themultiple wavelength light signal.

In a preferred construction of the optical signal device at least thecore layer is made of a thermosensitive material and the means forvarying the refractive index is by heating the thermosensitive material.The thermo-optic effect, being the preferred refractive index tuningeffect, is used as the illustrative effect throughout most of thisdisclosure. But generally, any refractive index tuning effect (e.g.,electro-optic effect, stress-optic effect) and any combination thereofcan be used in the present invention to vary the refractive index.

In a preferred construction of the optical signal device there are twocladding layers positioned between the refractive index varying meansand the core with each of the two cladding layers having a differentrefractive index. Methods of fabricating the optical signal devices ofthe present invention are also disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings in which like reference characters indicate likeparts are illustrative of embodiments of the invention and are notintended to limit the invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of one embodiment of a filterelement of an optical signal device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic elevational view of another embodiment of a filterelement of an optical signal device of the present invention employingtwo cladding layers of different refractive indices between a heater anda core layer;

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the change in the wavelength of lightreflected by a filter element employed in the present invention as afunction of temperature;

FIGS. 4A-4C are schematic views of three embodiments of a single filterelement in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 5A-B are schematic views of two embodiments of two-stage add/dropfilters using two heaters with or without a switch in accordance withthe present invention;

FIGS. 6A-6D are schematic views of four-stage add/drop filters of thepresent invention with one or more heaters and a variety of switchconfigurations;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a four stage add/drop filter in accordancewith the present invention where the unused channels are returned to thebus;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a four stage add/drop filter of thepresent invention where the unused channels are combined directly withthe pass-through line using a 1×5 combiner;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a four stage add/drop filter in accordancewith the present invention employing out tuning of one edge of thefilter to reduce the number of switches and the complexity of thecombiner;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a four stage add/drop filter inaccordance with the present invention employing out tuning of both edgesof the filter to reduce the number of switches and the complexity of thecombiner;

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of another embodiment of a four stageadd/drop filter of the present invention employing out-tuning of theedges and a minimal number of switches; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a four stage add/drop filter of thepresent invention where the unused channels are combined with thepass-through line using add filters.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an optical signal device in which ameans for varying the refractive index, preferably through the use of aheater and thermosensitive polymers, is employed in the filter element(e.g. Bragg grating) to produce a drop or add signal filter that is finetunable for dropping or adding a preselected wavelength of light over awide range of wavelengths.

Gratings in polymer devices can be produced by a variety of techniques,such as, for example, replication, molding, embossing, stamping, e-beamwriting, and photochemical processes. A suitable photochemical techniquefor writing gratings uses two-beam interference to induce an indexmodulation, thereby forming an index grating. This effect can beachieved by use of a phase mask (where two beams corresponding to the+1th and −1th diffraction orders are interfered), or by directinterference of two laser beams. When index gratings are produced, thedynamics may be described, for example, by the photolocking effect.Photolocking is the process by which an index variation can byphotoinduced by separating, from a mixture, polymeric components thathave different indices. The index modulation obtained by this processcan be increased by maximizing the difference in the diffusion lengths,polymerization rates, and refractive indices of the components.

In an exemplary method to form gratings in waveguides, the three-layerwaveguiding circuits are first fabricated using minimal UV exposuretimes, so that polymerization is only partial and diffusion can stilloccur to a substantial degree when the gratings are formed. Aftergrating formation, a final UV cure locks all the refractive indices intoplace. Since this technique of producing gratings relies on materialseparation instead of differential cure levels or selectivephotodegradation, it results in an essentially constant average indexacross the grating, allowing the reflection spectrum to be symmetricaround the center of its main peak.

In a preferred form of the invention, Mach-Zehnder interferometer typedevices, 100% directional couplers, or multimode interference (MMI)couplers are employed having two coupling regions. Between the couplingregions comprising 3-dB directional couplers or 3-dB multimodeinterference couplers is a grating region comprised of a grating system(e.g. Bragg gratings). The waveguides in the grating region of MachZehnder type devices are typically spaced apart from each other so thatevanescent coupling does not occur in this region.

In another preferred form of the invention, a single waveguide betweentwo optical circulators is employed. In the waveguide is a gratingregion comprised of a grating system.

In accordance with a preferred form of the present invention, theoptical signal device has a unique constructed grating region made ofmaterials which are thermosensitive i.e which have relatively largethermo-optic coefficients (defined as the change in refractive indexwith temperature) of, for example, at least 10⁻⁴/° C. in absolute value(e.g. thermosensitive polymers). Examples of thermosensitive polymersinclude cross-linked acrylates, polyimides and polymethylmethacrylates,as for example ethoxylated bisphenol diacrylate, tripropylene glycoldiacrylate and 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate.

When heating is the means for varying the refractive index in at leastthe core layer, the grating region is provided with a heater (such as anelectrode of specified resistance) or other means of inducing a changeof temperature of the polymer. Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown afirst construction of the grating region of the optical device of thepresent invention. The filter element 2 includes a core region 4 havingon each side thereof respective cladding layers 6A and 6B. The gratingis present in the core region 4 and preferably additionally in thecladding layers 6A and 6B. Above the cladding layer 6A is a heater 8which, as previously indicated, may be an electrode of specifiedresistance. Beneath the undercladding layer 6B there is provided asubstrate 10. The core layer is made of a thermosensitive polymer asdescribed above. The overcladding layer 6A and undercladding layer 6Bare also preferably made of similar materials although the refractiveindex of the respective layers will differ as discussed hereinafter.

In accordance with the present invention, a heater is provided inproximity to the filter element to heat the thermosensitive polymers. Asshown in FIG. 3, as the temperature of the filter element is increased,the wavelength of the reflected light will change, typically in a linearslope. As shown specifically in the example of FIG. 3, the wavelength ofthe reflected light will decrease 0.256 nm per degree centigrade withinthe range of 20 to 100° C. The wavelength of the reflected light willvary linearly by about 20 nm within this temperature range. The presentinvention therefore changes the wavelength of the reflected light of afilter element of an optical signal device by raising or lowering thetemperature of the material used to construct the filter element.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the refractive index (n) of the core4 will exceed the refractive index of both the overcladding layer 6A andthe undercladding layer 6B. It is preferred that the refractive index ofthe overcladding layer 6A and the undercladding layer 6B be the samealthough they may differ so long as both are less than the refractiveindex of the core layer.

In a preferred form of the invention, the undercladding layer 6B has athickness of from about 10 to 20 um while the overcladding layer 6A hasa thickness of from about 5 to 10 um. The thickness of the core layer ispreferably from about 3 to 9 um.

A preferred filter element for use in the present invention is shown inFIG. 2. This filter element provides an additional overcladding layer 6Cbetween the heater 8 and the other overcladding layer 6A. The additionalovercladding layer 6C has a refractive index lower than that of theovercladding layer 6A and is added because the metal elements comprisingthe heater 8 have a tendency to absorb light. The additional claddinglayer 6C serves to push light away from the heater and thereforeprovides less loss of the optical signal, while allowing the overallovercladding thickness (6A and 6C) to be small enough for the core 4 tobe heated efficiently by the heater 8.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the thickness of the respectivelayers is the same as described above in connection with the embodimentof FIG. 1. It will be noted that the combined thickness of theovercladding layers 6A and 6C is preferably within the range of fromabout 5 to 10 um.

The present invention can be applied to a cascade of optical signaldevices (e.g. Mach-Zehnder based or directional-coupler based orwaveguide-with-isolators based single channel elements of N stages) toproduce a drop filter that is tunable over a wide range (e.g. 24 to 100nm). A heating means is applied to the filter element and when theheating means is activated, the application of heat to the polymericmaterial causes a change in the reflected wavelength of the filterelement.

Table 1 shown below illustrates the number (N) of stages needed given afixed temperature range and wavelength tuning range. The value used fortunability is 0.25 nm per degree centigrade which represents the linearrelationship between reflective wavelength and temperature shown anddescribed in connection with the example of FIG. 3.

TABLE 1 Specified Bandwidth Tuning 24 nm 32 nm 40 nm 80 nm 100 nmTemperature Range Number of 100 GHz (0.8 nm) Channels Range per Stage 30channels 40 channels 50 channels 100 channels 125 channels 10° C. 2.5 nm10 stages 13 stages 16 stages 32 stages 40 stages 20° C. 5.0 nm 5 stages7 stages 8 stages 16 stages 20 stages 30° C. 7.5 nm 4 stages 5 stages 6stages 11 stages 14 stages 40° C. 10.0 nm 3 stages 4 stages 4 stages 8stages 10 stages 50° C. 12.5 nm 2 stages 3 stages 4 stages 7 stages 8stages 100° C. 25.0 nm 1 stages 2 stages 2 stages 4 stages 4 stages

As shown in Table 1, for a given temperature range there is a limit onhow much tuning can occur per stage. For example, for a temperaturerange of 10° .C for the filter element, the range of tuning for eachstage is 2.5 nm.

The filter element will contain a fixed number of channels depending onthe channel spacing and the bandwidth of the telecommunications system.For example, if the telecommunications system has a bandwidth of 24 nmthen 30 channels at 0.8 nm per channel will be present.

As shown in Table 1, the number of stages that are required for tuningover a given temperature range for a given bandwidth can be readilyascertained. For example, if the polymeric material and the desiredtuning speed permit a temperature range of 30° C., the channel spacingis 0.8 nm and the bandwidth is 40 nm, six stages with a tuning range of7.5 nm per stage will be required. If fewer stages are desired, then ahigher temperature range is employed. Less stages result in lessinsertion loss (i.e. amount of light loss in decibels, in traversing thedevice) but the speed at which the device is tuned to achieve a givenwavelength will be reduced.

If a larger number of stages are employed (i.e. a lower temperaturerange) for a given bandwidth, thermal transport is more rapid. However,the larger number of stages extends the length of the optical signaldevice and results in higher insertion loss. It is therefore preferredto operate with a moderate number of stages with a temperature rangesomewhere in the middle of the 10 to 100° C. range.

The number of stages N in Table 1 also represents M in the 1×M switchthat is required to select the output of a single stage. The 1×M switchcan be achieved with a series of 1×2 switches (generally, 1×P where P isless than M). N becomes N−1 if the two outer stages are tuned out by aslight temperature shift outside the tuning range. It is not desirableto tune non-edge stages since it is generally desirable to use a largetuning capability to reduce the number of stages. Selective tuning,however, also means an extra heater and extra spacing between segmentswith different heaters whereas the whole sample can be heated uniformlyif out-tuning is not employed. If out-tuning is used when the number ofstages (N) is 2, no switching is required.

In accordance with the present invention, by changing the temperature ofthe polymeric material of the filter element, it is possible to controlthe wavelength which drops out in each stage of the optical signaldevice. Changing the temperature causes a change in the refractive indexcausing a wavelength change of the light that is dropped from or addedto the multiwavelength light signal in accordance with the followingformula

λ=2NΛ

wherein

λ is the wavelength to be dropped or added;

N is the effective refractive index of the material upon heating; and

Λ is the period of the grating.

Thus, heating, which changes N and typically to a lesser degree Λ,enables a change to the wavelength λ which is to be added or dropped.

The filter element employed in the present invention is applicable to awide variety of optical signal devices. Referring to FIGS. 4A-4C thereare shown three optical signal devices employing a filter element 2 ofthe present invention as shown in FIGS. 1 or 2. In FIG. 4A there isshown a Mach Zehnder embodiment, in FIG. 4B there is shown a 100%directional coupler embodiment, and in FIG. 4C there is shown anembodiment employing a single waveguide between two 3-port opticalcirculators 18. In all three embodiments the filter element includes aheater 8 transversing the grating region 20 as described in connectionwith FIGS. 1 and 2. In operation, a source of light of multiplewavelengths enters the grating region 20 through the input port 22. Asingle wavelength of light is reflected according to the temperature ofthe grating region as determined by the heater 8. The desired singlewavelength signal is dropped from the grating region through the dropport 24 while the remaining wavelengths of light pass through thegrating region and out the “pass” port 26. The wavelength determined bythe heater can also be added to the wavelengths exiting the pass port byinjecting it through the “add” port 28. In the FIG. 4A embodiment, thetwo 3-dB directional couplers 12 can be 3-dB MMI (multimodeinterference) couplers. In the FIG. 4B embodiment, the 100% directionalcoupler 14 can be replaced by a 100% MMI coupler. In the FIG. 4Cembodiment, the 3-port optical circulators 18 can be replaced by 1×2power splitters if high insertion loss and high return reflectivity canbe tolerated.

The particular wavelength of light which is dropped from or added to thelight source can be precisely selected in accordance with the presentinvention by adjusting the heater in accordance with the dependence ofthe reflected wavelength to temperature shown in FIG. 3. In the exampleshown in FIG. 3, for each ° C. that the temperature of the gratingregion is raised, the wavelength reflected will be reduced by 0.256 nm.

The remaining wavelengths of light which pass the filter element shownin FIGS. 4A-4C may be further processed in another filter element toenable both dropped wavelengths to enter a single switch. This enableseither of the wavelengths to be dropped depending on the needs of theuser. Such arrangements are shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B.

Referring to FIG. 5A there are employed two filter elements 2A and 2B,each having a heater 8A and 8B, respectively. A first selectedwavelength λ₁ will be dropped from the filter element 2A and enter a 1×2switch (shown by the numeral 30). The remaining light signal absent λ₁will pass into the second filter element 2B. The temperature of theheater will be adjusted similar to what is shown in the example of FIG.3 to drop a different wavelength of light λ₂ which will likewise enterthe switch 30. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5A, both wavelengths λ₁and λ₂ are desirably employed by the user and the switch 30 enables theuser to drop either λ₁ or λ₂ through a drop port 32 depending on need.Out-tuning is preferably used in the unused stage so that none of theinformation in the usable range is lost.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 5B is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 5Abut the switch is replaced by a combiner. In this embodiment out-tuningmust be used so that only the desired wavelength exits the drop port 32.

The arrangement shown in FIG. 5A does exhibit some loss of lightintensity in the switch and the arrangement shown in FIG. 5B exhibitstypically a greater loss (about 3-dB) but such loss is acceptable whenthe need is to have more than one stage in order to access a widerwavelength range and/or increase the tuning speed.

An out-tuned wavelength is a wavelength that lies outside of the rangeof wavelengths available within the temperature range of the heater asshown in the example of FIG. 3. For example, if a grating is of the typemeasured in FIG. 3 and the heater has a selected temperature range offrom 40° C. to 80° C. the tunable wavelengths available range from about1563 nm to 1553 nm. Say a second grating such that, for the sametemperature range, it filters wavelengths ranging from 1553 nm to 1543nm. An out-tuned wavelength therefore would fall outside of the totalrange (e.g. 1564 nm or 1542 nm). Thus, referring to FIG. 5B, if λ₁ iswithin the tunable range and λ₂ is an out-tuned wavelength, the onlywavelength which will be dropped by the combiner will be λ₁.

Four-stage arrangements for dropping selected wavelengths by employingheaters in accordance with the present invention are shown in FIGS.6A-6D.

Referring to FIG. 6A there is shown an embodiment of the inventionemploying 4 stages and a single heater using a 1×4 switch to drop thedesired wavelength signal.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6B, instead of a 1×4 switch as shown inFIG. 6A, a series of 1×2 switches are employed to achieve the sameresult.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6C, two heaters are employed to permitout-tuning of the edge stages. Three ports drop a single wavelengthlight signal through a 1×3 switch and a fourth port drops a fourthchannel which is combined with the output of the 1×3 switch to form thefinal drop port.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 6D employs two heaters to permit out tuningof the edge stages and 1×2 switches. The outputs of the 1×2 switches arecombined to form the final drop port.

The outputs of unused non-out-tuned stages contain information from theusable wavelength range, said information which would be desirable toreturn to the bus. Such an embodiment is shown in FIG. 7 where theunused channels are collected and returned. In this embodiment, there isprovided a 1×2 switch at the output of each stage to send the signal toeither the drop or the pass port. The collection of the unused channelsin FIG. 7 may use, for example, a 6-dB combiner. The reinsertion of theunused channels onto the bus may use, for example, a 3-dB combiner.

As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 8, one way to reduce the loss in thecollected channels to 7-dB would be to route all four channels andcombine them with the pass through line using a 1×5 combiner. Thisincreases the loss of the pass-through channels from 3 to 7-dB. This isstill acceptable because it equalizes all the channels that end uppassing.

Tuning out the edge stages is possible in this type of environmentresulting in simplification of the optical circuit. As shown in FIG. 9one less 1×2 switch is needed and the 1×5 combiner at the pass portbecomes a 1×3 combiner reducing the loss from 7 to 4.7-dB, although anadditional heater is required. As shown in FIG. 10, another 1×2 switchcan be eliminated if one more heater is added.

In another embodiment of the invention, a modification of the embodimentshown in FIG. 10 is provided with a 1×4 combiner instead of a 1×4 switchat the drop port as shown in FIG. 11.

In another embodiment of the invention, a modification of the embodimentshown in FIG. 10 is provided with add filters instead of a 1×3 combinerat the pass port as shown in FIG. 12. The add filters have gratings withthe same periods as the gratings of the add/drop filters to which theycorrespond and they share the same heaters with (or in general areheated to the same temperature as) these add/drop filters. The addfilters can have very low optical loss, circumventing the factor of Nloss of 1×N combiners.

It will be understood that all of the configurations shown at the dropports in FIGS. 5-11 can be implemented at the add ports. It will also beunderstood that all of the multistage configurations shown in FIGS. 5-11employing Mach-Zehnder type devices of the kind shown in FIG. 4A canalso employ 100% directional couplers of the kind shown in FIG. 4B orsingle waveguides between 3-port optical circulators of the kind shownin FIG. 4C.

What is claimed:
 1. An optical signal device for use with a multiplewavelength light signal, the optical device comprising: a) a substrate;b) a pair of first and second spaced apart cladding layers having atleast similar refractive indices; c) a core layer including a waveguideor a pair of opposed waveguides positioned between the pair of claddinglayers having a refractive index greater than the refractive indices ofthe first and second cladding layers such that the difference betweenthe refractive indices of the core layer and the cladding layers enablesthe multiple wavelength light signal to pass through the device in asingle mode; d) a grating region present in each of the cladding layersand the core layer, the grating forming a filter element, the filterelement causing a single wavelength of light of the multiple wavelengthlight signal to be segregated therefrom; and e) a tuning apparatus forvarying the refractive index of at least the core layer to therebycontrol the wavelength of the light which is to be segregated from themultiple wavelength light signal.
 2. The optical signal device of claim1 wherein at least the core layer is made of a thermosensitive material,and the tuning apparatus for varying the refractive index of at leastthe core layer comprises a heater.
 3. The optical signal device of claim1 wherein the optical signal device includes a Mach-Zehnderinterferometer.
 4. The optical signal device of claim 1 wherein theoptical signal device includes a coupler selected from the groupconsisting of a 100% directional coupler and a 100% multimodeinterference coupler.
 5. The optical signal device of claim 1 whereinthe waveguide of the optical signal device is positioned between twodevices selected from the group consisting of 3-port optical circulatorsand 1×2 power splitters.
 6. The optical signal device of claim 2 whereinthe thermosensitive material has a thermo-optic coefficient of at leastabout 10⁻⁴/° C. in absolute value.
 7. The optical signal device of claim6 wherein the thermosensitive material is at least one thermosensitivepolymer.
 8. The optical signal device of claim 7 wherein thethermosensitive polymer is selected from the group consisting ofcross-linked acrylates, polyimides and polymethylmethacrylates.
 9. Theoptical signal device of claim 1 wherein the refractive index of thefirst and second cladding layers are the same.
 10. The optical signaldevice of claim 1 further comprising a third cladding layer positionedabove the core layer.
 11. The optical signal device of claim 10 whereinthe third cladding layer has a refractive index less than the first andsecond cladding layers.
 12. The optical signal device of claim 1 whereinthe thickness of the core layer is from about 3 to 9 um.
 13. The opticalsignal device of claim 1 wherein the second cladding layer is positionedbetween the core layer and the substrate, the second cladding layerhaving a thickness of from about 10 to 20 um.
 14. The optical signaldevice of claim 1 wherein the first cladding layer has a thickness offrom about 5 to 10 um.
 15. A wavelength divisionmultiplexer/demultiplexer optical device for use with a multiplewavelength light signal, the wavelength divisionmultiplexer/demultiplexer optical device comprising a plurality ofoptical signal devices, each of said optical signal devices comprising:a) a substrate; b) a pair of first and second spaced apart claddinglayers having at least similar refractive indices; c) a core layerincluding a waveguide or a pair of opposed waveguides positioned betweenthe pair of cladding layers having a refractive index greater than therefractive indices of the cladding layers such that the differencebetween the refractive indices of the core layer and cladding layersenables the multiple wavelength light signal to pass through the devicein a single mode; d) a grating region present in each of the claddinglayers and the core layer, the grating forming a filter element, thefilter element causing a single wavelength of light of the multiplewavelength light signal to be segregated therefrom; and e) a tuningapparatus for varying the refractive index of at least the core layer tothereby control the wavelength of the light which is to be segregatedfrom the multiple wavelength light signal.
 16. The wavelength divisionmultiplexer/demultiplexer optical device of claim 15 wherein at leastthe core layer is made of a thermosensitive material, and the tuningapparatus for varying the refractive index of at least the core layercomprises a heater.
 17. The wavelength divisionmultiplexer/demultiplexer optical device of claim 15 wherein each of theplurality of optical signal devices includes a Mach-Zehnderinterferometer.
 18. The wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexeroptical device of claim 15 wherein each of the plurality of opticalsignal devices includes a coupler selected from the group consisting ofa 100% directional coupler and a 100% multimode interference coupler.19. The wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer optical device ofclaim 15 wherein the waveguide of each of the plurality of opticalsignal devices is positioned between two devices selected from the groupconsisting of 3-port optical circulators and 1×2 power splitters. 20.The wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer optical device ofclaim 15 further comprising at least one switch for receiving at leastone selected wavelength of light from the optical signal devices and forselectively employing one of said received wavelengths of light.
 21. Thewavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer optical device of claim 15further comprising at least one combiner for receiving at least oneselected wavelength of light from the optical signal devices.
 22. Thewavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer optical device of claim 15wherein the device is configured to out-tune a wavelength of light fromat least one of said optical signal devices.
 23. The wavelength divisionmultiplexer/demultiplexer optical device of claim 22 wherein the gratingregion of each of the plurality of optical signal devices filterswavelengths in a wavelength range different than the wavelength range ofeach other grating region; and at least one of the grating regionsreflects an out-tuned wavelength falling outside the range of usablewavelengths.
 24. The wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexeroptical device of claim 15 wherein the device is configured to return atleast one unused wavelength generated within the range of usablewavelengths to the non-segregated wavelength signal passing through theoptical device.
 25. The wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexeroptical device of claim 24 further comprising add filters for returningunused wavelengths generated within the range of usable wavelengths tothe non-segregated wavelength signal passing through the optical device.26. A method of dropping/adding a preselected wavelength of lightfrom/to an optical signal comprising passing said optical signal throughan optical signal device comprising: a) a substrate, b) a pair of firstand second spaced apart cladding layers having at least similarrefractive indices, c) a core layer including a waveguide or a pair ofopposed waveguides positioned between the pair of cladding layers havinga refractive index greater than the refractive indices of the first andsecond cladding layers such that the difference between the refractiveindices of the core layer and the cladding layers enables the multiplewavelength light signal to pass through the device in a single mode; d)a grating region present in each of the cladding layers and the corelayer, the grating forming a filter element, the filter element causinga single wavelength of light of the multiple wavelength light signal tobe segregated therefrom; and e) a tuning apparatus for varying therefractive index of at least the core layer to thereby control thewavelength of the light which is to be segregated from the multiplewavelength light signal.
 27. The method of claim 26 where at least thecore layer is made of a thermosensitive material, and the optical signaldevice comprises a heater, said method comprising varying thetemperature of the heater so that the filter element reflects apreselected wavelength of light.
 28. The optical signal device of claim1 wherein the grating region comprises an index grating present in eachof the cladding layers and the core layer.
 29. The optical signal deviceof claim 2 wherein the cladding layers are made of a thermosensitivematerial.
 30. The wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer opticaldevice of claim 15 wherein the grating region comprises an index gratingpresent in each of the cladding layers and the core layer.
 31. Thewavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer optical device of claim 16wherein the cladding layers are made of a thermosensitive material. 32.The optical signal device of claim 1 wherein the tuning apparatusoperates using an effect selected from the group consisting of athermo-optic effect, a stress-optic effect, and an electro-optic effect.33. The wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer optical device ofclaim 15 wherein the tuning apparatus operates using a effect selectedfrom the group consisting of a thermo-optic effect, a stress-opticeffect, and an electro-optic effect.
 34. The method of claim 26 whereinthe tuning apparatus operates using an effect selected from the groupconsisting of a thermo-optic effect, a stress-optic effect, and anelectro-optic effect.
 35. An optical signal device for use with amultiple wavelength light signal, the optical device comprising: a) apair of first and second spaced apart cladding layers having at leastsimilar refractive indices; b) a core layer including a waveguide or apair of opposed waveguides positioned between the pair of claddinglayers having a refractive index greater than the refractive indices ofthe first and second cladding layers such that the difference betweenthe refractive indices of the core layer and the cladding layers enablesthe multiple wavelength light signal to pass through the device in asingle mode; c) a grating region present in each of the cladding layersand the core layer, the grating forming a filter element, the filterelement causing a single wavelength of light of the multiple wavelengthlight signal to be segregated thereform; and a tuning apparatus forvarying the refractive index of a least the core layer to therebycontrol the wavelength of the light which is to be segregated from themultiple wavelength light signal.